Improvement in furniture-casters



J. B'. RITOHEY. Furniture-Casters.

No. 199,3l3. Patented Jan. 15,1878.

I lllllmlm Illlllllll 1N VENTbR 3A 4 WITNESSES;

UNITED.S'I.ATES PATENT JOHN B. 'RITOHEY, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

I MPROVEMENT IN FURNlTURE-CASTERS.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,313, dated January 15, 1878 application filed December 5, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN B. Rrrcnnv, of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furniture- Gasters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a caster embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detail views.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of furniture-casters, and casters for like purposes; and consists in combining the thimble or cup, having a flange, with the journalsection, having apivot or post, by means of a link held to the journal-section by a flanged neck thereon, and binding upon the thimbleflange, whereby a simple, durable, and effective caster is obtained, all as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the ordinary construction of furniturecasters the upper end of the pintle is reduced to form a shoulder, upon which rests the thimble, by means of which the devices are secured to the furniture, the small end of the pintle passing through an opening in the top of the thimble, and being spread or flattened to hold the two together.

In course of time the wear upon the shoulder formed on the pintle permits the head of the pintle to wedge in the wood, or the flange on the bottom of the thimble to bind on the journals of the roller, thus locking the caster and rendering it comparatively useless; and in some cases the side strain and thrust of the pintle will pull the thimble loose, to the no small injury of the furniture, carpets, 850.

The object of my devices is to obviate the locking of the caster, and the consequent strain upon furniture, wear upon carpets, &c.

I will now proceed to describe my invention, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may make and use the same.

In the drawing, a represents the roller, se-

cured in the ears of journal-section b. The journal-section b is cast or otherwise formed with a collar or rim, 0, through which passes the pintle or post 6.

d is-a flange secured to the rim 0 by post e, or in other suitable manner, said flange being preferably a ring formed by means of dies from sheet metal. 6 represents a pintle or post, adapted to fit within a closed top cap or thinnble,f. The lower end of pintle or post 0 is re duced in size, so that it will pass through the central opening of collar 0 and flange d, and also to form a shoulder or offset, which, when the post is riveted to the j ourn al-section, serves to bind upon the ring or flange d and hold it in position.

f indicates a closed thim'ble or cup, in which is stepped the post or pintle e, that pivots the caster on the furniture, said thimble being provided with a flange, 9, through which are made the usual screw-holes for securing the caster. This thimble or cup may be, and is preferably, cast in the usual manner, but has recesses 2 formed in the edge and upper face of flange g, to receive the ends of a strap or link which connects the thinible to the journal-section b.

h, Fig. 6, indicates a strap or link for securing the thimble and journal-section. form of a ring, whose central opening is of suflicient size to pass freely over the collar or annular lug c of the journal-section, and provided with tongues h, adapted to fold or be bent over the flangeof thimble f. This strap h, like washer (1, may be cut from sheet metal by suitable dies.

The several parts may be secured together as follows First, pass the ring of strap or link h over the collar or annular lug c of the journal-section b; then lay the disk or flanged upon the annular lug 0,- pass the small end of post or pintle 6 through the central opening in the disk d and annular lug c, and clinch or rivet it to the journal-section I). This will connect the several parts, the shoulder of post 0 binding the disk 01 upon the annular lug, and converting cinto a neck which will confine the strap h. The thimble or cup f is then slipped on the post or pintle 0, the ends it of strap h bent over the flange g into the recesses 91, and the thimble and journal-sections thus secured to-- It is in gether, after which the caster can be secured nectin'g it to an article, a journal-section, havto any article by screws passed through flange ing a pivot-post, e, and neck a, with either a g, in the usual manner. solid or. separable flange, and a strap or link,

The advantages of my devices are, that they h, for connecting the thimble and journal, subare simple, cheaply constructed, durable, and stantially as specified. will not wear so as to cramp, bind, or drag, In testimony whereof I, the said JOHN B. thus preserving both furniture and carpets. BI'TOHEY, have hereunto set my hand.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, JOHN RIHJHEY' is- Witnesses:

In a furniture-caster, the combination of a F. W. BITTER, Jr., thimble or cup, f, having a flange, g, for con- A. O. JOHNSTON. 

